


After the Storm Comes Peanuts

by AConfusedBean



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Doctor Chanyeol, Hybrids, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Kim Junmyeon, Platonic ChanBaek - Freeform, Platonic Cuddling, squirrel hybrid Baekhyun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 01:52:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17972201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AConfusedBean/pseuds/AConfusedBean
Summary: Chanyeol is a hybrid doctor and Baekhyun is a squirrel hybrid with a fear of storms and a love for peanuts. And Chanyeol, of course.





	After the Storm Comes Peanuts

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I know nothing but the basics of PTSD, so I apologize if I wasn’t able to portray it correctly.
> 
> Enjoy!

Baekhyun was terrified of loud noises. It made sense, he was a small squirrel hybrid and as a result, had the mind of a prey animal. The loud sounds of things like thunder reminded him of a predator growling, something he heard a lot when in the prostitution rings before the police came and rescued him. He was diagnosed with PTSD and thought that that would be his death sentence; nobody wanted a tainted hybrid that was terrified of everything.

But then Chanyeol came. He was one of the hybrid doctors at the clinic where all the hybrids in the ring were taken to for check ups. Baekhyun had been terrified of the larger man, but soon found that his hands were a lot softer and more gentle than they looked. Chanyeol had given him a bag of peanuts to nibble on while he did his check up to make sure he didn’t have any STDs and thankfully, he didn’t. Baekhyun contributed that stroke of luck that the owners of the ring made sure nobody was carrying anything. After all, they wouldn’t make much money if there was even the smallest suspicion of a hybrid having an STD.

Chanyeol had practically fallen in love with Baekhyun at first sight, in a platonic sort of way. He thought the tiny hybrid was adorable and his heart ached at what he was told the hybrids went through. He was the doctor the HRU, or the Hybrid Rescue Unit of the police force, went to when they made their rescues and as a result, he was given insider info.

All the hybrids were taken to a shelter that Chanyeol volunteered at on weekends, so he still got to check up on them and he was pleased to find that most of the hybrids were beginning to show signs of recovery, even going as far as demanding to be petted when they saw the kind doctor. Baekhyun, however, was not doing as well. 

“Poor guy,” a female cat hybrid sighed, looking sadly over at the squirrel, who was curled up in a corner. “He was one of the customer favorites, especially to a man who loved watching his hybrids—I think he had a lion and a bear—have fun with him. He enjoyed terrorizing the inner squirrel with predator hybrids and forced him to submit that way. It was scarring for Baek.”

Chanyeol felt his heart clench painfully and he made a decision. He approached Yixing, one of the managers of the hybrid center, and asked to adopt Baekhyun.

“Normally we wouldn’t let a person adopt a hybrid with PTSD that’s still recovering, but you’re an exception,” his friend said with a smile. “I’m glad it’s you.”

Chanyeol was relieved to find that Baekhyun seemed comfortable with him. Baekhyun was joyful to have the doctor adopt him, how could the squirrel forget one of the first humans that was kind to him? Plus, the peanuts Chanyeol gave him were tasty. After filling out a few adoption papers, Chanyeol took a Baekhyun home the following Monday.

Baekhyun timidly followed Chanyeol into his new home, nose twitching to try to pick up any dangerous scents, his small but proportionate ears folding back much like a scared cat or dog. His silvery-gray tail was bushed up out of nervousness and fear.

“Don’t worry,” Chanyeol soothes in that surprisingly deep voice of his. “I don’t own any other hybrids, you’ll be the first.”

Baekhyun relaxed a little at that. After all, if Chanyeol was abusive, he wouldn’t be a hybrid doctor, right? Chanyeol showed him around the apartment he lived in and Baekhyun quickly found his favorite spot at the bay window where it was padded with pillows and gave a great view of the outside.

Baekhyun was pleased with his new home; it was a modern apartment with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a dining area. Nothing like the dirty apartments he was told about by the other hybrids.

“I’ll let you get settled, we can go shopping for anything you want tomorrow, I can take the day off,” Chanyeol said. “I have to go back in to work right now, but I’ll be home around five. I’ll pick up something to eat, do you want anything?”

Baekhyun hesitated, unsure of what kind of food he was allowed to eat. He went with the safest form.

“Peanuts?” He asked shyly.

Chanyeol chuckled. “I don’t think peanuts are a substantial enough meal. I’ll get you some, but it’s good to introduce a good diet as well, so prepare for lots of fruits and vegetables. I’ll be back in about three hours. Feel free to help yourself to anything if you get hungry.”

That night, Baekhyun had a feast on vegetables like carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, and over all healthy foods that he had been denied previously. And for dessert, peanuts, of course. It hadn’t taken long for him to get used to this new way of life, he loved Chanyeol and was grateful every day that the doctor had taken him in. Since Baekhyun wasn’t the first hybrid he had seen with PTSD, Chanyeol knew exactly what to do to help ease his stress levels. Until one stormy Friday he had completely forgot about it.

The morning had started out nice enough, slightly overcast with the weatherman saying that there was only a thirty percent chance of rain today and a larger chance tomorrow. Chanyeol had been pleased, knowing that he could stay with Baekhyun on the rainy day. Strike one was thinking that the weather report would be right for once.

Strike two was when Chanyeol had to turn his phone on silent since his annoying friends were lighting the device up through the group chat they had, making plans for Friday night. The constant pings were distracting not only to him, but to the clients as well. Strike three was when he had skipped his breaks in order to fill out all the paperwork required with being a doctor. When he focused on something, he had a habit of tuning all noise and activity out. Thinking that he could finish all the paperwork at the office and not have to take any home, he stayed cooped up at the desk with his head buried in his reports. As a result, he hadn’t left his office and gotten a chance to look outside and see that it was storming hard.

It wasn’t until he had to treat a client that was completely soaked in rain water did Chanyeol realize what was going on. Now that he was out of his office, he could hear the howling wind, the patter of rain, and most importantly, the loud rumbles of thunder. Taking out his phone, he ignored all the texts of his friends and felt his heart drop at the ones a very frightened Baekhyun had sent.

**10:54** Channie, the loud noises are scaring me

**11:13** It won’t stop and I can’t block it out, what do I do?

**11:43** Chanyeol can you come home? The rain is getting stronger and the wind is shaking the window, what if it breaks the glass?

**12:21** Yeol, please come home

Chanyeol cursed under his breath and rushed to where the clinic’s manager’s office was.

“Chanyeol? Is everything okay?” Junmyeon asked, eyebrows furrowed on concern at the clearly distressed man.

“I need to go home, Baekhyun’s not handling the storm outside very well,” Chanyeol rushed to explain.

“I’ll get Jongdae to cover the rest of your shift,” Junmyeon said. “Because of the rain, it’s not too busy, so it should be fine.”

“Thanks Jun.”

“Of course.”

Grabbing his bag and keys, the rushed doctor ran out of the building. Chanyeol was impatient to get back, but he was safe about it. The rain was coming down hard and it wouldn’t help him and especially not Baekhyun if he were to get in a car accident. By the time he got home, what would have been a twenty minute drive had become a forty-five minute drive. Just getting out of his car and running to the apartment building soaked his clothes and he made sure to keep his bag safe. Chanyeol paced in the elevator and practically tore down the halls to get to his apartment. He unlocked the door and immediately announced his arrival.

“Baek? I’m home? Where are you?”

The only thing that answered him was a crash of thunder. But with that sound came a very distressed sob followed by a series of almost inaudible whimpers. Chanyeol cautiously headed to his room where the sounds were coming from. Peering inside, he was shocked to find that it looked completely trashed. All his drawers were opened and there were clothes all over the room, the majority of said articles of clothing were clumped together on the bed. Getting closer, Chanyeol noted that the bundle of clothes were combined with the bed sheets and pillows and that the entire pile was quivering. He immediately understood.

In order to get his doctor’s status, Chanyeol also had to take a hybrid behavior class. Recalling his schooling, he knew that the way most hybrids calmed down if their owner wasn’t present was enveloping themselves in their owner’s scent. This was done by building a nest of their owner’s clothes, pillows, and blankets in the room where their owner’s scent was the strongest. Chanyeol felt terrible for not being there for his small friend.

“Baek? I’m here now. I’m so sorry for not coming sooner,” Chanyeol said guiltily as he approached the nest.

Immediately, the pile erupted as Baekhyun launched himself into Chanyeol’s arms, sobbing and whimpering. Chanyeol made soft noises of comfort as he stroked the squirrel’s ears.

“Hey, let me change into something dry, then we can lay in bed, okay?” Chanyeol asked softly.

Baekhyun reluctantly let go and turned away to give him privacy. Chanyeol quickly threw off his wet clothes and into dryer, more comfortable ones. He laid them both under the covers of his bed, pulling the messed up sheets over them and bringing the shaking hybrid closer to him. Baekhyun buried his face against the human’s chest, relaxing slightly as strong arms came to wrap around him.

“I-I thought you weren’t going to c-come,” Baekhyun sobbed. “I thought I’d be alone.”

“Never Baek, never,” Chanyeol assured, kissing him softly on the forehead. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner, my phone was on silent and I didn’t realize until I heard the storm.”

Chanyeol spent the rest of the afternoon comforting his hybrid, both of them just cuddling into each other’s warmth.

“I had been taken from my family when I was two,” Baekhyun said quietly. “Like every other child, I was afraid of thunder storms. But nobody had been there to tell me it was just a storm and to comfort me, so I never grew out of the fear. Then the client’s hybrids would growl and it would remind me of the thunder all over again.”

Chanyeol didn’t really consider himself an emotional guy. The last time he cried was when he had gotten out of college and it was more of tears of joy. The last time he cried out of sadness was when his uncle died when he was twelve. But just thinking about Baekhyun’s story made him blink to get the small amount of wetness in his eye out.

“I swear you’ll be safe here,” he murmured. “Nobody will harm you, they’d have to go through me and I was told I could get pretty scary.”

Baekhyun giggled, allowing asmall smile that somehow lit up the room.

“Come on, let’s get something to eat. Then we can watch tv or listen to music to drown out the noise. What do you want to eat?”

“Peanuts?”

Chanyeol laughed. “Alright, peanuts it is then.”


End file.
